The Iron Lady : Margaret Thatcher, from grocer's daughter to prime minister / John Campbell ; abridgement by David Freeman.

Reprint. Originally published in Great Britain by Vintage in 2009.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 540-[554]) and index.

Dutiful daughter -- Young conservative -- First steps -- Opposition -- Education secretary -- The peasants' revolt -- Leader of the opposition -- Thatcherism under wraps -- Into Downing Street -- The blessed Margaret -- Signals of intent -- Heading for the rocks -- Salvation in the south Atlantic -- Falklands effect -- Popular capitalism -- Iron Lady I : special relationships -- Iron Lady II : Europe and the world -- Enemies within -- Irish dimension -- Elective dictatorship -- Stumble and recovery -- No such thing as society -- A diet of Brussels -- Tomorrow the world -- On and on -- The defenestration of Downing Street -- Afterlife.

Whether you love her or hate her, Margaret Thatcher's impact on twentieth-century history is undeniable. From her humble, small-town upbringing to her rise to power as the United Kingdom's first female prime minister, to her dramatic fall from grace after more than three decades of service, celebrated biographer John Campbell delves into the story of this fascinating woman's life as no one has before. The result of more than nine years of meticulous research, The Iron Lady is the only balanced, unvarnished portrait of one of the most politically vital and controversial figures of our time.